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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hand — help
  7. row — to paddle
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. spell — a short time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. hand — in cards
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. row — a line
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stand — to bear
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — magic
  24. lean — to bend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com